


Back To You

by SharkxxBait



Category: Marvel
Genre: Breakups, Endgame, Eventual Smut, M/M, Marvel - Freeform, Marvel Cinematic Universe - Freeform, Mistakes, Sexual Content, Steve goes back, Superhusbands (Marvel), fixed mistakes, fixedrelationships, oldlovers, past!Tony, postendgame, postsnap, postthanos, relationships, timetravel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:33:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21814477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkxxBait/pseuds/SharkxxBait
Summary: During Tony’s funeral Steve is a mess but an idea sparks on the drive home and now Steve is more driven than he has been in all of his years to complete a mission.Steve travels back in time to make amends with Tony before his death.
Relationships: Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

Fanfic chapter 1

Steve had been in many wars, whether it be the world war of 1939 or the new world wars against alien forces with the avengers after hed come out of the ice. Seen lots of destruction, death following in its wake that always had the power to shake this super solider to his core. But through the trauma and the aftermath, steve always got up. His mothers voice always echoing through his heart. He kept fighting and learned to put the people, ones he couldn’t save, neatly in his past.  
But this war, the last they would ever see of Thanos and his army, he will never shake from neither his mind nor his body. And it all boiled down to watching his best friend and a missed shot at almost lover, Tony Stark, die.  
The funeral was still going but after standing vigil and watching the arc reactor bouquet float off into the lake, taking the rest of Tony with it, steve had to take a breather.  
Hed kept his self together for the people who needed it during the funeral, the people who couldnt see the leader, the one with all the optimism, the one always coming to the table with a plan and a solid speech on how to execute it and make the victorious end a reality, break and know there was no coming back from this one. But holding himself up with a grip on each side of the sink he let himself fall apart. He wanted to scream but his voice only came out in sobs that racked his body as he choked for air through the tears. 

Several years and he didnt come back after leaving Tony in that bunker. He knew he was right about Bucky and eventually Tony did too but he also kept Buckys secret about killing his parents and he didnt have to. He left him there. Broken and trapped in his powered down suit in a struggle to keep him from killing Bucky. But he could of prevented the hate. He could of prevented the lie. But he didnt and Tony had the absolute right to hate him. To throw him out and make whatever they could of became wither and die.  
And the way he had looked at Steve burned a hole in the soldiers chest as he caught a glimpse of his own red, puffy eyes in the bathroom mirror. He hardly ever regretted something he had done when he knew he was being true. When he knew it was right. But after seeing the love of his life spit pure venom at him after he had come off that ship five years ago, ripping the nano tech suit emblem off his chest and throwing it in steves hand like his own heart, he had regretted everything.  
He could of- no he should of made it right before it got to that point of immobilizing and damaging Tony to keep him from acting on the emotions that were in their goddamn right.  
But now its gone. Tony is gone. And the time together they had while working to bring everyone back would not sink deep enough into steves skin. It wasn’t enough. He didnt get to say goodbye. Didn’t get to apologize.  
And now hes wallowing in what should of been and what he should of done better while he sits in Tonys house, the mans funeral going on beyond the bathroom walls.

He didnt want to be here anymore. In this bathroom, at this house, at this funeral. But he didnt know where hed go.  
He reached and turned on the sink facet and let the cold water run as he looked up at himself again. Pathetic, he thought as he cupped his hands under the stream to spash the water in his face, through his hair.  
He needed to get it together. But he also sparked at an idea of just leaving out the side door and driving away. He really just couldn’t be here anymore and everyone was grieving. He could too.  
Deep breath, and then Steve was turning the handle and opening the door into the hallway. The house was pretty much empty as everyone was mostly outside. Talking and trying to keep each other up right after the wake. Steve knew he should be out there too but he couldn’t. He just couldn’t.  
His plan was to just head to his car and try not to make contact with anyone. Though sam had come with him and Steve was sure hed appreciate his ride not leaving without him. But Steve didnt want to linger so he headed down the hall from the bathroom and to the back screen door.  
Seeing his car at the far side of the driveway, hugging the grass line to give other vehicles of people who came to the funeral more room to park, he headed in that direction as he stepped out the door.  
Two cars from his own he heard his name to his right and turned his head to find Sam wading between cars to get to him. 

“You leaving?” He asked stopping in front of the other man.

Steve looked away out of shame. “Yeah. I just cant be here anymore” 

He hoped he didnt look like he didnt care about the people back there grieving and he hoped Sam would just see it as he cared too much and couldnt sit in a place that tore him apart from the inside out.  
When Steve’s eyes met Sam’s again he saw sympathy and noticed the way he stood. He was tired too.  
“Neither can i.” He said, “home then?” 

Steve nodded and they proceeded to get in the car, Steve in the drivers seat as he thought how he would take Sam home but not stay. Not at Sams, but not going to his own house either. They all hadn’t stayed in the avengers compound for years and then the past 5 they stayed there, trying to piece together and keep their hope. But it had been destroyed by Thanos and it made him sick thinking of staying in it if it had still been standing.  
He pulled out of the Stark residence and headed south toward the city.

The car was quiet but not intentionally. Steve was on autopilot as he lost himself in his thoughts. He felt haunted by everything that happened and even though he was not a stranger to post traumatic stress, especially from a harsh battle, but he felt hopeless.

They had succeeded but Steve felt like he had more than failed. And not so literally but more in the sense of only the feeling of failure. The dread that would come with knowing you couldnt help the people you loved the most at the time they needed you after working so hard to make sure they knew he would be there for them. He was mostly thinking about Nat in this way.  
Her death made him a whole different kind of sick. Sick with grief and a yearning to go back and see her and at least say goodbye.  
Suddenly a jolt of realization went through Steve. 

Go back..

“Sam” he said a little louder and vicious than he meant to, making the man jump.

“What? Whats wrong?” He said like he had also just been ripped from his own thoughts.  
Steve let his body drive them onto the freeway as his mind raced. He remembered how they were told that they needed to go back and return all the stones to the exact moment they were taken.  
“Do you know when they are going to decide who and when they are gonna take the stones back?” Steve said, his eyes forward as he sped up to merge into the speeding traffic.

“Uh, Bruce said something about Lang getting more of the the Pym particles for the return mission.” Sam said.

“And do you know when they are doing that?”

Sam ran a hand over his head, “last i heard Bruce said they would need to build a new travel platform, as well as wait for Scott to get the Pym vials. Nobody really said when but i would assume as soon as possible because returning the stones is a priority.”

Steve gave a small silent nod as thoughts continued to race. His foot on the gas pedal had become stiff and he realized he was speeding.  
Sam stared intently at the side of Steve’s face.  
“Why? What are you thinking?” 

Steve shook his head. “Nothing” he lied. “It was just made very clear it was important and in was just wondering when they were going to execute it is all”

Steve decided to keep this thought to himself. If it worked out he couldn’t risk someone trying to stop him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“I dont see why you cant do it , Cap” Bruce Banners voice came out of Steves phone as the man paced his new appartment. He had tried to give things a few days and find a new place and settle in before he spoke to bruce about being the one to return the infinity stones. And it had been a pain stakingly slow few days as it was all Steve could think about. 

“Weve got blue prints up and materials ordered to make the travel platform and Rocket, me and scott have been starting on it. We are gonna work as fast as we can hoping to have it done within the next two days.” 

Steve was trying to hide his anxiousness as his heart sped through his chest.  
“Thats awesome, Bruce. Let me know then?”

“Will do” his voice coming over the phone changed to a gentler and slower tone, “how are you holding up, Cap”

Steve swallowed nervously. Right, bruce was asking how he was feeling after the funeral. And he had been running through so many scenarios of seeing Tony again he forgot that he was dead.   
“Holding on.” He said, clearing his throat and the sudden rock that seemed to appear in his chest. But he needed to sound stable or Bruce would not let him do this. 

“Im adjusting” he corrected. “Moving in to my new place, keeping up with Sam and his program for the Veterans. Been also watching the news and keeping up with some of the good things happening now that..we won” 

“Thats great!” Bruce said enthusiastically but Steve knew he was also keeping it together for the team but the optimism was much needed for all of them. They all needed each other but Steve needed to do this. 

“Ill talk to you later, Bruce. Let me know whats up” he said finishing up his convo and setting the phone down on the counter in the kitchen where he had stopped pacing. 

He had thought through this so many times in the last few days.   
He would of course return the stones but not quite come back to this time so soon. He had as long as he needed in there and Steve had turned over the timelines over and over in his head trying to figure out the perfect one to go back and make amends with Tony. Hell just to see him again.   
He wanted it to be after the situation with Bucky. After his fuck up. Because he couldn’t stop what was going to happen that day and so he needed to make it right after the fact.  
Tony left to fight in space before Steve got involved with the Thanos situation but also came back after the snap. So it would have to be in the timeline before the time travel but after tony had been in space.   
Somewhere within that 5 years.  
Steve remembered what Tony had said when they came to him to discuss the time travel idea.

“I wish you came here for anything else” 

And that was after he tried to invite them over for dinner. Steve had a feeling Tony had wanted him to come. Had wanted to see Steve again but he wasnt going to be the first to make that move. First, Steve was the one at fault. And two, Tonys pride is not something that anything less than a blind man couldnt see.   
But still. That phrase, “i wish you came here for anything else”. It shook Steve because he treated Tony, in that moment, like a tool that was only interesting to him when he needed it. Given that was nowhere near true but if Tony wasnt the man he was and didnt jump into the idea anyway, he would of sat and thought about that fact steve hadnt seen him in 5 years and then came to him only when he needed his genius.   
Steve had all the time in the world to think about it now that Tony was dead and he honestly was going to kick his own ass a little harder if given the chance after hed gone back. 

He wanted time with tony so hed give it two years before the time travel plan.   
He wanted so much to walk up to that door and make him his. He wanted him just like he did a long time ago. And he could of if he had not fucked up so bad. He should of just been honest, not risk losing Tony’s trust as well as the man all together  
The timeline was there, Steves intentions were set and he had never felt so ready and so not ready at the same time. 

“Okay so we run through again” Bruce said as he pushed some buttons on the control panel that Steve couldnt see. “You have to return the stones to the exact moment they were taken or else youll open up some nasty timeline holes that may cause a problem.”   
Steve adjusted his suit and then pressed the dial on his wrist which enabled the time suit to engulf his body.   
“Got it.” The silver case in his hand felt heavy and he was determined to quickly return the stones.   
Tony, he thought, closing his eyes for a second. He could do this. 

Bruces’ voice rang out “going in three, two, one.” A button was pressed and suddenly Steve was thrust back into the quantum realm. He heard a faint  
“Good luck, Cap” before he was shoved out into his first location.   
Game time.

Returning the stones was actually fairly easy. Given returning the soul stone to his arch nemesis was shocking in its own messed up way, Steve was kind of glad to see the bastard and his eternal punishment.   
Along with the other stones there was the time stone that Steve thought would go back to Strange but the timeline was that of a completely different time and he got to meet someone on The doctors side of the puzzle who strangely knew all of what had happened in both times. The “Ancient One” as she explained herself to be was appreciative that bruce had followed through even though it was Steve returning the stone.   
Everything was falling into place. And after returning the last Stone to its place on a planet called Morag, steve set the dial to his time stamp where he intended to meet Tony. Here goes everything, he thought as he slapped his palm down on the button and was thrusted forward in time. 

He had originally thought to touch down directly in front of Tonys lake house, just kind of showing up but he redirected earlier so he could at least borrow his own means of transportation.   
After “stealing” his car from outside the old avengers facility he started for Tonys new residence.   
Now as he drove he figured he would have to tell Tony about how he was from another time but it was important to leave out most of the details. Especially the ones about winning the war against Thanos, Tony being the one to successfully make time travel possible and of course Tonys inevitable death.   
Steve pushed that thought away but kept the point. But he also considered the reconnection to be better because coming alone and facing his mistake one on one would hopefully show his dedication to making things right even more prominent. 

Upstate Newyork faded behind him as he headed out toward the country and it didn’t take very long to reach the lake house, probably because of how fast Steve had been going. Little too much pedal to the metal but his heart was racing and his anticipation was through the roof.   
He could do this.   
He pulled into the rocky driveway, hearing the rocks crunch under the weight of the tires. The first thing he saw was the beautiful house against the back drop of the crystal, still lake behind it. The over all scean of the foresty trees and foliage in its full opacity as it was early summer made the scenery even more pleasing as Steve brought his car to a park next to one of the cars, obviously Tonys by the over the top sports car vibe, parked in the driveway.   
Steve heart was pounding as he opened the door and stepped out just kind of standing behind his car door trying to decide of he was taking in the moment or nervously stalling.   
He wanted to say both but it was a heavily tipped hat to the nervously stalling side. 

Someone in the house must of been alerted to his presence, not that he was trying yo be nessicarily quiet or anything, because the screen door on the porch creaked open followed by an all too familiar voice that struck his chest like a 80 mile an hour driven bullet. 

“Steve?” Tony Stark said as he stepped out onto the porch facing the other man who stood almost ridged and he was flooded with about a million emotions at once. Tonys broken, dying body from the fight flashed in front of his eyes only to fade with a very much alive Tony being left in its wake.

Tony had started to walk down the few steps toward Steve and he had just gotten to the bottom when Steve just about all lost control of his body when he rushed forward and embraced the other man.

“Wha-“ Tony lurched backward with the sudden 200 pound weight of a super soldier being thrown around him. He barely had the time to comprehend what actually was happening here while Steve hugged him a little too tightly.

“Hey cap, i need to breathe” 

Steve quickly, but much to his internal disappointment to himself, let go and took a couple steps back trying, begging the emotions to stay in his eyes and not have them fall embarrassingly down his face. 

“I-im sorry. I just..uh Hey”  
Steve stuttered, wiping his nose and shoving his hands in his back pockets to keep him in one place. His heart pounded and his skin felt on edge with more anxiety as he stepped back from Tony hoping to god he didnt completely blow it.   
But the one and only just simply smiled very small. Guarded but still a smile. 

“What are you doing here?”   
It wasn’t accusatory or hostile but a genuine question.   
Steve couldnt open his mouth. Tony was here. He was alive he was just... here. In front of him and he was trying to breathe in every detail of his lively, healthy but also snarky as always, face. But honestly he couldnt because he probably stopped breathing 5 minuets ago. 

“Uh, im-“ He tried to answer before suddenly a voice called from just inside the door. 

“Tony, who is it?” 

Pepper, Steve thought joyfully but then sadly as he knew she was very happy this way and didnt know what was to come..   
but her beautiful red head came out of the door with a little toddler on her hip. Morgan.   
Tony looked back at her and aimed a casual finger at the blond in front of him, who still couldn’t get his shit together. 

“Steves here” he said. 

A look passed quickly on Peppers face that sent a brief pang of guilt through his stomach. But thats exactly what he was here for.   
Her face then turned up and she smiled giving a little wave with her free hand. 

“Hi, honey. Wasn’t expecting you here” she said as her gaze drifted to Tony almost quizzically. 

“Me either” the man said, turning back to Steve. “Um its good to see you?” 

“I know i probably should of called, i just-“ he forced out before being cut off by Pepper. 

“Oh no Steve, take all the time you need.” She said, giving Tony a look he didnt understand ,before turning to go back in the house. “Good to see you!” 

The screen door shut behind her and Steve was left with an eyebrow in the air on Tonys face. Two deep brown eyes seemed to stare into his soul and he quickly looked away, fearing that Tony might be able to look deeply enough and see the future from which he had come.   
But he needed to make things right, and he also felt like he had just gone through 50 years of helpful therapy for the death of his (ex?)best friend just from the ten minutes he’s been standing like an idiot in front of him. 

“Um, can we, and feel free to say no and tell me to leave, go for a walk?” 

The blood pulsed in Steves ears as Tonys eyes lingered for what seemed like forever before a quiet “Sure” came out.

Steve swallowed hard. He could do this.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Okay maybe he couldnt do this. At least not exactly how he planned.   
Once the two men started away from the house and down the driveway he was quiet at first and the two walked in silence for a while, going down a small road that lead into the woods, that was until Tony decided to speak first because Steve brain was folding in on itself. 

“This was quite the surprise, Steve”  
His voice was very calm and almost soft. There was no harsh tone like the day he stepped off that ship and threw a 500 pound bag of pain and hurt and anger at the man who was now within touching distance.   
But Tony didnt seem in a horrible mood.  
Steve took a deep inward breath, trying to put on his Captain face and hold this responsibility but it came nowhere near close to coming out like that. 

His first word came out like broken glass up his throat, “Tony...”   
His casual gate came to a halt and tony did too as he turned back to look at him.   
And Tony had never, ever, seen or even thought that Steve Rogers, Captain America and the leader and soul of the Avengers, could look like this.   
The mans shoulders were slightly hunched, but very tight and Tony could tell that his expression was trying its hardest to stay composed but failed and only looked like struggle and pain before it completely fell and Steves red rimmed, tear laced blue eyes stared directly into Tonys heart and he felt his chest constrict.   
The broken voice that followed didnt help. 

“I-i know, believe me i know, that Sorry does not help- no it does not fix this” he said his hands coming down in emphasis toward the space between them.   
“But there is so much that i need to say, that i have needed to say. Everything that you never deserved to live with after i fucked up.” His voice shook with inwardly faced anger along with the emotions he had bottled up for all those years and why he never said them.

He swallowed and forced his voice to stay at a reasonable tone.   
“You had and honestly always will have the right to hate me, hate this and shove me out for the rest of my life”   
For the rest of yours, the sad thought ripped through his head as he spoke. “But you never deserved any of that shit, and i should of never left you in that bunker. I was too caught up in my pride, my investment in my friend who i saw too brightly with clouded eyes.” 

Steve really did see that way at that point. He knew Bucky had been brainwashed and ran because he wasn’t gonna be able to get people to see reason after all the things Bucky had done in his state. But he also acted too fiercely in his old friends favor because in a way he was from his old time, his original time and the last of anyone he considered family.   
But that doesn’t matter right now because he is not making excuses for himself. Bucky was definitely there when he needed him back and in knowing what was true he tried to defend him, pay it forward but he wounded another important relationship in the process.   
He, in the best of intentions in thought, wished he had been brainwashed when hiding the fact that then man he was defending killed Tonys parents, or when he smashed the power source to tonys suit leaving him alone and immobilized but very able to cut the cord, with angry hands, on their relationship. 

Steve kept his eyes locked on Tony as he clenched his hand to keep them from shaking.   
“But im seeing you now, ive seen all the mistakes ive made and how in many ways they will never be righted. You needed me.” 

He kept his eyes on Tonys, realizing that the mans eyes had started to form a glassy film as they too started to water. But his expression stayed firm.   
This made steve even more of a wreck but he took a really deep breath and stood as straight as he could, looking deep into Tonys eyes.   
“But im here now. I have always been here. And i always will be. Whenever you need me.”   
Steve kept his stance but tears were flowing down his cheeks.

Now Tonys eyes were very heavy with water and he clenched his jaw as his heart was breaking and mending all at once over and over and it hurt worse than the arc reactor ever did when it shorted out and gave him heart palpitations. 

Steve stood and stared trying to breath correctly and stay leveled and he waited for Tony to say something as he watched the mans face like he could see a wall coming down behind his skin. 

Steve swallowed and blinked hard to try and get the water from his eyes as he took a small step forward.   
“Tony..?” 

The other man responded by slowly reaching out a hand, and Steve moved closer to him also reaching for his hand but very hesitantly like he might get his own bitten off.   
But as they slowly interlocked hands and once Tony had a solid grip on the mans arm he yanked him in and held him close.   
Steve, shocked, slowly wrapped his arms over the man as he felt Tonys body shudder under his embrace. This only made Steve hold on tighter, his hand had a death grip on Tonys that rested in between their bodies.   
He could feel Tonys body tense and shaking a little under him and he slowly pulled away but the brunette kept his face buried in steves broad shoulder, his other hand reaching up and twisting itself into Steves shirt.   
One ragged but deep breath can from the shorter man.   
He could tell the Tony was trying to get himself together and Steve honestly felt the same so he just rubbed the mans back and drank in the warmth and the familiar shape of a body he felt would never rest against hit again. 

“Hey.” Steve whispered, slowly pulling away and moving his hand from Tonys back slowly up his neck to cup his cheek making him look up and his face broke Steves heart.   
He looked tired, his eyes were puffy, red and wet while his mouth twitched downward as his eyes connected with steves. 

“Im here.” 

Tony buried his face back into steves shoulder and sniffled.   
“Youre late” he grumbled but Steve knew even Tonys sarcastic nature could not be masked by any level of grief.   
Steve even cracked a small smile.   
“I know. Trust me i do.”


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
Steve and Tony had sat down, hip to hip in a patch of grass somewhere on whatever side of the lake, Steve couldnt remember. But the property was alot bigger than he thought and of course so was the lake because he couldnt see the house anymore but the foliage was thick and everything was covered in various shades of green.   
But it was beautiful and even though the sky had gotten slighty overcast the day was still bright and it just illuminated everything.   
Especially Steves heart and mind alike. He wanted to breath out this huge breath of stress that he had been in for the years after him and Tony fell out, the years after thanos and all the shit that came after. He wanted to stay in this time. Stay here and never go back but this was all before they won. People were still missing and nobody knew what was to come.   
But Steve did, which made this time he had here, with Tony, so much more important.   
He turned his head to look at the man whos face was scrunched deep in thought.   
Steve was about to ask what he might have been thinking about but Tony spoke up first.

“Are you really from the future?” 

Steves blood went ice cold.   
Did he tell him? How did he know that? Theres no way he told him. His mind raced through a million situations in about a nano second as he stared almost baffled. He couldn’t even casually play it off, at least not successfully. 

“Uh w-what?”   
Steves heart was pounding. He must of fucked up. No he did fuck up, somewhere, somehow. Shit. This was bad. What would this do?

Tony seemed calm, almost too calm as his dark eyes moved back to the calm lake in front of them, his arms coming to rest behind him as he leaned back. 

“The bald, wizard lookin lady told me to ‘expect a visitor that was not from your time though it is very important to tread lightly’”.  
He quoted. 

Steve swore he just got whiplash from all of the emotions and the few words that just slapped him in the face.  
The “Ancient one”. The lady he returned the time stone to. Stange had supposedly been trained by her and if his knowledge of even just the basics of his amount of power were from her..shit.  
First of all.  
Why the hell was he so calm. How did she even..

“First off, while you slow your heart rate a bit” Tony said, glancing at Steve whos face must of given everything away. That and he tried to breath while his limbs tingled.   
“Who ever she was she didn’t tell me more than that i kind of deduced who and why of course.” He continued. 

“It wasnt too hard, at least not for me. Wizard lady shows up three weeks ago and tells me this and for a while i really sit and wonder who that might be, the person shes talking about. And if im being frank i dont really ask why anymore, so i was very hyper aware and honestly very afraid. I moved Pepper and Morgan out immediately to stay in Happys care up state for the first week but nothing...happened. Nothing out of the ordinary at least. But still i wondered. Anyone who called i tried to be ready. But then a few more days came and went and, nothing.” 

Steve figured that the reason he was this calm, while Steves was sure he had a heart attack and died already two minutes ago, was because the lady beat him to it. She probably came as a life line just in case he fucked up. Maybe he does fuck up..

“So” Tony went on. “I really didnt know what to expect but i figured if it was danger the lady would of, hopefully, been more urgernt. I called Pepper and told her it was okay and nothing happened after that. Until...you.” He said, his head turning to look Steve in the eyes. 

“And you.” He said poking a finger gently into the other mans arm. “Show up, no call, but also so....different. And how i knew you were from the future and not the past, given she didn’t say what time line you were coming from, is because you came BACK to tell me you were sorry.” His voice got almost quiet at the last few words, his gaze drifted back to the lake. “The way you spoke made me think that you spent way more time than the time ive lived here in this time to really think about how you felt and what you wanted to say”  
His voice didn’t change for the next words which shook Steve too the bone; “probably because you eventually never had the chance to.”

Steve felt like he just got off of a very fast, very vigorously unstable amusement park ride. All he could do was but shake his head, looking away and damning this god damn man and his genius. 

But alas, not in favor of Steves blood pressure, Tony continued. “But, luckily for you she said to tread lightly. Which i translated to: dont talk about it, and forget it happened pretty much. You can breath now, Cap.”

“I just-, i dont-“ Steve wanted to rip his hair out. He honestly didnt know if this was or wasnt suppose to happen. Obviously she knew this would so she knew enough about what would happen to intervene before he got there.   
But in his shock and to his surprise he felt Tonys hand on his knee. 

“I dont want you to worry about it. Tread lightly.” He smiled, giving Steves knee a reassuring squeeze. “My only real question is though, how long are you staying?” 

The way it came out almost sounded sadly hopeful and when Steves eyes met Tonys he saw almost a lifetime of want and forgiveness in those deep, frustratingly intelligent brown eyes.   
Steve let out a huge breath. “As long as youll have me.”

(Tony’s POV)  
The two men eventually got up and started back to the house. The day was getting short and Tony figured Pepper would be wondering but honestly the woman had probably been waiting for this as long as he had been wanting it. Tony honestly thought she was tired of seeing him brood over it. Not that hed tell Steve that.   
They walked mostly in silence, comfortable silence but still, in a calm that he never knew he needed until now. Though despite the questions he had, the worry and anxiousness in those questions he had, he knew when to leave something alone, as difficult as that was to believe about him. And so he would try to put this whole time-travel weird wizard shit out of his head as much as he could, he had Steve back for the time being and he had learned the very hard way that something good will always be gone before he knew it.   
The record thus far.  
He glanced to his right at Steve who, bless him, was still ghostly pale. Tony threw a mental treat to his ego, because of course he would have figured it out even if given a different circumstance. 

Still, he had this chance and he was gonna use it. 

(Steves POV)

They both arrived back at Tonys house, coming in to a delighted, busy Pepper. She smiled brightly at Steve when she saw him again and even came up and hugged him tightly before she pulled back and held his face in her hands.

“Its really good to see you, Steve.” 

Steve smiled at her and honestly it was too good to see her this way. He quickly threw her most recent state of well being, well in his original timeline, out of his mind.   
He needed this. He needed to see them this way and have this moment. 

Pepper turned to Tony who had walked down the hall and called to him,   
“Im not cooking so you boys are out of luck. Ive got a migraine and Morgan is finally sleeping.” 

Tony had opened a closet in the hall and was grabbing a jacket and what seemed to be a pair of keys. 

“Actually, we are going out.” He said, much to Steves confusion.

He shut the closet and kissed his wife on the head. 

“You get rest and ill be back shortly.” 

Peppers finger came up to point right up the mans face.   
“Not a single thought of Iron man” 

She sharply pointed that finger at Steve.  
“No Captain America” 

Steve nodded and gave a quick “yes ma’am”   
Pepper could be edging on scary when she meant business.

“I promise.” Tony gave her that billion dollar smile and shoved his keys in his pocket. 

“Now both of you get out of here with your angst, im taking a damn nap” 

Tony just smiled and shook his head as he ushered Steve out the door. 

They got out into the parking lot and Steve spoke up as Tony clicked his keys to unlock his car.   
“Um no. We are taking mine because there is never any room in any of your tiny cabbed sports missiles”

Tony threw his head back at that.  
“What ever you say, Marty Mcfly” 

Steve just rolled his eyes at the nickname he didn’t get, like all of them and got in the drivers seat, Tony following suit on his side. Steve was actually suprised control freak Stark wasnt saying he drove like an old man, which wasnt true Steve drove the actual speed limit versus Tonys need to blow by cities at the speed of sound, and actually was letting him drive them. He found the thought amusing as he turned the key and heard the engine turn over, glancing at Tony who already had his belt on as he started to back out of the drive.

“Youve got somewhere in mind?” Steve asked as he continued on the long driveway that emptied out onto a paved country back road. 

“Just keep on this road until you get to the highway.” 

Steve did as directed and he watched the sky, that was beginning to turn a blue orange as the day grew shorter and shorter, as the two sat in silence with the hum of the vehicle around them.   
The soldier was wondering what was going on in Tonys mind as the man beside him was weirdly calm, and uncharacteristically quiet, as he gazed out his side window.   
He was almost a completely different man than the one who spat venom in his face that day he came back from space. That was the last day Steve had seen him and of course he never came around in those five years to see how he was actually doing and maybe he should of come sooner.   
Steve decided to break the silence. 

“What changed, Tony?” 

The man beside him turned his head.  
“What do you mean?” 

“I just didn’t think you’d even stand me even thinking about coming to your house, much less hearing me through or even-“ his words hitched in his throat. “Forgiving me.” 

He glanced and saw Tony shug in the dimming light.   
“I had lots of feelings and so much to work through. But resentment is corrosive and i hate it. I honestly, deep down cared more about letting go of what i couldnt change and hopefully get back what meant more to me than being butt hurt over something that happened so long ago. Before Barnes.

He felt Tonys eyes land on the side of his face and the blond turned to meet them.   
“In the end i cared more about who i was, who we were.”

Steves heart pounded in his chest as his eyes flitted back to the road. He turned onto the stretch of rural highway and increased his speed, maybe a little too suddenly to the beat of his blood pulsing. He didn’t know why this made him all so anxious. He honestly felt so much guilt and regret. He tried to shake the thought that kept stabbing him in the heart, the possibility if they didn’t win the war with time travel and he never got to do this. If he never got to go back. 

“Steve youre speeding.” 

He shook his head and quickly took his foot off the gas, watching the speedometer drop down ten miles. He hadn’t realized the way those thoughts made him tense up so much. 

“Is, Tony Stark, telling me to slow down?” He joked. Almost feeling the eye roll beside him. 

“Gotta give you some shit, winghead. Get off here.” 

Steve smiled as he signaled and slowed down to take the turn onto another back road that seemed to go deeper and deeper into a forested property. A few minutes in the road turned to dirt and rocks. The sun was below the horizon and the thick trees shielded them from the light, driving steve to flip his headlights on. 

“Where are we going?” He asked as his car crawled and bounced through the dirt.

“Somewhere i want to keep secret so i cant tell you” 

Steve gave him a quizzical side glance which earned a playful eyeroll from the genius.

“Oh come on, Cap. You’ve got yours and i get mine.

They continued to roll through the sticks, wispy branches from the trees at their sides dragged lazily across the metal of Steves grey Prius. The light around them was a very deep blue shade and the trees were turning into their nightly shades of black as they became silhouettes against the darkening sky.   
The “road” suddenly stopped as trees stood firm at all sides, the solid trunks blocking Steves path.  
He turned off the car and in the seat beside him, Tony was taking off his seatbelt and opening the car door. After pulling the keys from the ignition, Steve did the same, his eyes following Tonys outline as he skirted around the front of the car to step into the tangle of branches amongst the trees in front if them.   
Steve shut the car door and quickly followed.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
“Tony, wait up!” Steve shouted as he trampled through the thicket, trying to keep Tony in his line if sight as he waved his arms through leaves and twigs that smacked agaisnt his face as soon as he pushed more away. He was more a city guy.  
His eyes strained in the disappearing light to follow the dark coated figure in front of him when suddenly a faint blue light lit up about ten feet from him. The light illuminated Tonys face as the man was looking down at what seemed to be a screen built into a hidden wall.   
Secret bunker, Steve assumed. Of course.  
“Access granted, Hello boss.” The familiar feminine voice of the Tony’s AI rang out before the dark wall moved upward into itself. Steve could see a smirk playing on Tonys face as he disappeared into the dark. Steve followed quickly, “Hey, wait” 

He stood in complete darkness as he cleared the door way and felt it shut surprisingly quiet behind him. The air was still but Steve could tell he was standing in spacious room as he reached his arm out sideways to try and find something in the dark. Maybe a light switch? 

“Tony?” He whispered because he felt the need to be quiet given the atmosphere that was almost eery. 

His reflexes were pitch perfect and when he felt a hand on his chest he grabbed onto what felt like a wrist attached to that hand lightning fast. 

“Ah, jesus! Dont break it!” Tonys distressed voice came out of the dark right in front of him as the hand retorted. Steve quickly let go. 

“Shit, sorry! I didnt know it was you.” 

He heard a click to his left and a dim light cam in above his head, followed by more, one at a time, around the room. A kind of living room housing set up was illuminated in soft light as the room came to life.  
Holograms twitched and threw screens on the walls of various places steve recognized as the avengers building, Tonys house, a highway with live streamed cars, and several other places where cameras, Steve assumed, were placed and directing a live feed.  
In this room were basic home things like couches, tables, tvs set up with Tonys tech but also metal boxes stacked up and cables falling in the corners of the room walls, surrounding glass encasements of five different iron man suits lined up.   
There were what looked like doorways at the far side as well as a stair case that went upward to his right, next to the suits.  
Tony was standing to his left about arms length with his hand on a control panel that hugged the wall. 

“You like it?” He said, smirking as he wiped his hands together, coming to stand closer to Steve. 

“I do, but im also not surprised it exists.” 

Tony gave a dry chuckle at Steves reference to his obvious dooms day paranoia. Steve wondered how “dooms day” life could even get after Thanos.  
“Yeah, theres a few more scattered in various places. But thats not important.” 

Steve shrugged as he started to walk into the center of the room, his eyes tracing the rivets and groves on the metal floor that indicated it opened with probably more space underneath.   
Steve gave a small sigh as he looked the place over. Tony has always assumed and planned for the worst. And he honestly has/had every right to. The next thoughts Steve shoved from his mind as he turned back to Tony. 

“Why here?” 

Tony put his arms behind his back as he sauntered over to steve, not looking at the man like he was very interested in the decor.   
“No reason. I like this place, in a very detached kind of way” 

Steve wanted to put to rest the thought that Tony was trying to tell him now that these places existed, always have through everything, because he knew something bad was going to happen in the future. Even past Steves future there was always going to be something.   
And Tony wanted Steve to know about them, just in case. But that ‘just in case’ struck a deep cord that planted ice at his core, an idea that Tony knew why steve was here, and what had happened to himself even if he didnt know the details...

“But i wanted to talk to you about something.” Tonys voice ripped him from his thoughts and Steves heart pounded at the connection between the question and his recent ideation. 

But Tony didnt ask anything as he stepped closer to Steve, like really close, and put his head in the very middle of the mans broad chest. Steves breath hitched as he stared down at the dark brown hair atop themans head while he felt Tonys arms come to rest around his torso.   
He was embracing him but in a more intiment way. He heard a soft voice speak up from against his chest, feeling the movements against his shirt. 

“Do you remember our time at Clints house?” 

Steves mind went back to the time of Ultron and the house Clint had, along with a whole family that they all didn’t know existed, that he flew them to for respite, safety.   
The world was yet again at a crisis, at the time feeling like the biggest one yet and everyone was in their own way compromised from Wandas mind tricks, her attempt to tear them apart from the inside as she showed them their most in depth weakness, their fear, a raw and venerable spot inside each and everyone of them that crippled them from the inside out.   
Steve remembered his nerves getting the best of him as he he sat at the table with Nat, watching two of clints kids try to draw some sort of image the fastest, with nat being the judge. He got up and made his way outside, the farm and the perfect day like a joke against what was happening outside of it, as he walked into the barn stalls, originally trying to get out of his head but found Tony against a sleeping tractor pulling at his hair, as he was far to deep in his own.   
He was so distressed and Steve had never seen him so out of character, shaking and muttering and clutching his head like he wanted to break it. Like he wanted to crush the images Wanda put in his head.   
Steves heart twisted at the memory and recalled a whole night of just the two of them holding onto each other in a way that meant they were always there to stay. 

But where was Steve this whole time 

“I do. That was so long ago” 

“Do you remember us?” 

Steves chest skipped a small beat.   
Tony was referring to their current romantic state of residence, given they were um, an item at that moment in time.   
His mouth felt dry. 

“Yeah.” His voice was barely a whisper

Tony shifted and his eyes came to look directly at Steves, deep brown, intelligent eyes that seemed to be pulling all of Steves secrets from the bottom of his soul. And there also seemed to be nothing the soldier could do about it. 

“I dont know how much longer ill have you.” Tony said, keeping his eyes locked on steves.   
“And i dont mean like, until you go back to your time. But i think you can catch my drift. Ive always come to a wild conclusion that you are smarter than the average bear even if it seems impossible.” 

Steve seemed to of stopped breathing as he stared back, his eyes stinging with emotion he didnt want to show, didnt want to confirm Tonys indication

“So i want you to know that i do forgive you, and never want you to feel like i wont come to that barn at Clints farm to see you at your worst and pick you up as many times as you needed without question, like youve always done for me. Even when you didnt.”

Steves jaw tightened as he forced down air into his throat, trying to keep the tears from falling. He felt like he was falling. 

“Dont hate me for this later.” Tony said, almost as a side thought before he closed the space between them and kissed Steve with what felt like a gesture that had waited a thousand years to happen. 

After the first intial shock factor, Steve sunk into the kiss and a feeling that was distressingly familiar.   
His heart went back to their past relationship, many nights full of shared touches and hot kisses. Feeling like Steve could never feel 70 years worth cold again with the warmth that radiated off of his boyfriends soundly sleeping body next to him on crisp mornings.   
Moments of laughter and joy spent between the two men in between the disasters and horrors they knew they could dive into together and come up the other side just the same. 

This kiss felt like home against his lip as he pressed back, participating in the kiss as he put his hands to Tonys sides and pulled him closer by his jacket. 

This, yesyeses. Steve thought over and over as the kiss turned more passionate, hotter as tonys arms wrapped around his neck, the man pulling his body up against him. Steve responded by closing his arms around the shorter mans waist and hauling him back against the wall behind him.   
Tony was biting Steves bottom lip before thrusting his tongue past his teeth.   
Steve made a point of pushing back until he had forced his own into the genius’ mouth giving him no other option but to let Steve take him over, his hands coming to grip the mans ass. This earned a muffled noise out of Tony that sounded against their mouths.   
Steve pulled away breathless, “you got a bedroom here?” 

Tony was just as out of breath. “Upstairs” he breathed before his mouth was back on Steves who simply held up Tony by his ass and the way he had his legs wrapped around his waist, and carried them both up the stairs with his god given super strength. The two never pulling apart before Steve hit a closed door and Tony reached behind his back with a hand he let go with and twisted the knob. 

Steve didnt have time to look at the room before he all about tossed Tony on the bed, crawling over him soon after.   
Steve was breathing hard into the mans neck as he kissed down it, stopping to suck hard at the base. 

“Hey! Dont leave marks” Tony said, his legs coming back up to wrap around the whole lot of needy Steves on top of him. His hands wormed their way between the two bodies to catch the base of the soldiers shirt and thrust his hands beneath it, fingers crawling up pounds of muscle.   
Steves eyes rolled as he felt Tonys nailed claw down his chest, to his waistline. 

“Youre a little overdressed.” Tony said into Steves ear as the other man kissed and breathed down his neck. 

“You are too” he retorted.

“Lets fix that” tony said in a way that made Steve shudder


End file.
